


The Best Things in Life

by Chibifukurou



Category: Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated (TV 2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-24
Updated: 2014-12-24
Packaged: 2018-03-03 08:44:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2844977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chibifukurou/pseuds/Chibifukurou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fred never thought about being a parent, but now that he has the chance he can't think of anything better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Best Things in Life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Person](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Person/gifts).



> A huge thank you to my beta for rushing this through for me. 
> 
> I just saw this prompt and had to write for it.

"Freddy, you've got to help me!" Judy has been Fred's friend for years, but he's never seen her this upset. Her always perfectly coiffed hair is sticking up in every direction and she doesn't have even the barest hint of makeup left. Her eyes are red rimmed.

If Fred didn't live alone, having his seventeen year old female classmate showing up at his door after dark would cause of no end of rumors. He ushers her into the front room of the house he'd inherited when his parents died. "Judy, what's wrong?"

She's pacing back and forth across the living room. He expects her to start digging into his liquor cabinet, but instead she chews on her nails. "I'm late." She motioned nervously at her abdomen. 

"What did you do?" 

"It was prom." Her hand rises towards her mouth, only for her to jerk it back when she realizes what she is doing. "Brad was being so romantic. He asked me to go steady."

That explained everything. Judy and Brad have been joined at the hip since kindergarten. They're even planning to become doctors together. If they were having a romantic evening they wouldn't think about consequences, they'd just go for it. "What do you want me to do?"

"When my parents hear, they're going to make me go away. I can't leave Brad like that. I want to tell them he's your son. That way they'll let me keep him." 

Judy's parents aren't poor, but they like the finer things in life. They were always trying to impress Fred's parents when they were still alive. Their daughter having the Jones’ grandchild would be a social coup. They would definitely let her keep the baby if he agreed to marry her. The question is, should Fred do it. Fred has never thought about being a parent. He's seventeen, and gay. He's been dating Bronson for the last two years of high school, but now that school is over Bronson is off to the Police Academy and Fred is alone. "I don't know."

Judy leans against his chest, and looks up at him through teary eyes. It's a trap, but that doesn't mean Fred isn't going to fall for it. "Fine, we can tell your parents."

#

The Reeves want Fred to marry their daughter immediately. Then maybe people won't realize that he got Judy pregnant before they were married. He is very tempted to laugh in their face, because everybody is going to know one way or the other.

This kind of secret doesn't stay secret in a town like Crystal Cove.

#

Married life with Judy doesn't change much about Fred's life. She's still obsessed with Brad, and it isn't like Fred minds if Brad is over at the house every night. Even if the neighbors like to talk. What does he care. People think that he's evil. They like to talk about how he killed his parents, even though they were halfway across the country when their plane crashed.

Judy is gorgeous while she's pregnant. She practically glows. Fred thinks that if he was ever going to fall in love with a woman, it would be her. But he doesn't love her as anything but a sister, and she loves Brad.

Still, he dreams of the life the three of them can build together, raising their child. It's the first time since his parents died that he actually feels like things might work out. Like he won't be alone for the rest of his life.

#

Fred wakes up when he hears Fred Jr. crying in his crib. Judy is usually the one who gets up to check on him when he cries during the night. Her bedroom is right next door to the nursery, while Fred's is down the hall. She's been stressed in the week since she had Freddy. 

Maybe she finally was tired enough to sleep through the crying. Fred can handle it tonight. He scoops the baby up and cradles him in his arms. "Who's a good boy? Yes, you are. Though Leaping Lizards I could do without the early wake ups."

He jiggles Freddy slowly as he made his way downstairs and into the kitchen. Warming up a bottle of formula he makes slow circuits of the kitchen until the bottle is empty and Fred Jr.'s eyes are drooping.

#

Freddy's crying wakes him up again later that morning. This time, he check's Judy's room before he takes Fred down to the kitchen for his bottle. If she's sick or hurt then he needs to know. The room is empty, except for an envelope that is resting on the pillow. He picks it up and carries it downstairs with Freddy. 

It takes nearly two hours of Freddy screaming before he falls back to sleep. He misses Judy, but there isn't any help for it. Once Freddy has calmed down enough to sleep, he opens the letter. He's not surprised by what he finds.

"Hi Freddy,

I'm sorry, but I can't leave Brad to go to medical school alone. Don't try to find me. We've been accepted to a school on the east coast.

I know that you'll take good care of Fred Jr. until we come back. After all you've always been a good friend to me and Brad.

OXOX,  
Judy"

Fred crumples up the letter in his fist. How could she! He knew she didn't love him and if she'd wanted to leave him for Brad he wouldn't have fought, but to leave Freddy like this. What had she been thinking? How could she be that selfish. 

He smooths the letter back down with careful hands. If this is the last thing that she ever gives Freddy, then he needs to make sure to keep it safe. After he tucks the note away in his study, he goes into Freddy's nursery. 

Freddy's eyes are closed, his perfect cupid's bow mouth is open as he breathes softly in and out. Fred can't keep himself from reaching down and running one gentle finger over Freddy's pudgy cheek. "Looks like it's just you and me now, kid, but no matter what happens you are the best thing that ever happened to me."


End file.
